By Yolande Vincent
There was this hilarious video where this woman meets her friend for a coffee, with a new hairdo. The friend is shocked, the wearer of the new hairdo is unhappy, and they decide to confront their hairdresser. The hairdresser tells them that hair isn’t everything and they argue that hair is everything. The hairdresser shows them the reference photo and it’s exactly what she had asked for. They apologize to their hairdresser and leave with their heads down, all embarrassed.
Part of Shania Twain’s song: Man! I feel like a woman!, there’s a lyric that says, “Colour my hair, do what I dare”.
Maybe we can relate to this, it’s the one definite thing as a woman that we have a say about or that we can change with one easy appointment, cut, grow, or colour.
Since the beginning, things have been quite hectic for women. Fathers preferred sons, child marriages, rape, gender-based violence, in some countries women still have no say, there’s even female genital mutilation. In the Western world, women have had to fight to earn the same in the same job-title as a man, and to be seen as more than just a sex-object, especially in the film or music industries. There was even a time when people believed women should not preach and a time when women couldn’t vote.
If we look at hair, there was a time when it was frowned upon for a woman to wear short hair. There are places where women must cover their hair. There was a time when they would shave a woman’s hair to de-humanize her and cause shame. Today, in most western societies, a woman’s hairstyle is determined by how she feels about herself and what life is throwing at her. Whether life has spun out of control or in the mediocrity of life, you get to choose your style.
But
Hair isn’t everything.
I think it’s safe to say that the enemy has had it in for us women, since God created us. In Ezekiel 28 we read about the devil’s beauty and perfection, and how he was the main cherubim until unrighteousness filled his heart. The devil also first tempted Eve as he knew that no man could say no to his naked wife (wink wink).
I believe women carry some of that beauty. Just look at our hair, so unique in colour and texture and style in every girl/woman on this earth. Just look at the detail the Lord put only in women. There is an infallible softness and tenderness in women, the incredible ability to conceive and carry a child and the gift to nurture throughout the ages.
This is not all we are though. We aren’t just hair or just beauty or just daughters or just our careers or just wives or just moms. Although these roles and responsibilities are God ordained and an honour to fulfil, this is not all to which we are called. Sometimes we can lose ourselves in our roles and responsibilities and forget what God has called us to. We can lose ourselves in the busyness of life and family and careers.
Ephesians 1:4 says: “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”
Before we were born, we were called!
Called to what?
Called to the Lord’s purposes.
*We get to know Jesus and make Him known.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NLT “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.”
*We get to continuously grow to look and be more like Jesus.
Romans 8:29 NLT “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”
*We get to do this in faith.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
*We get to do all of this with a BFF, the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said in John 14:15-17 MSG “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you and will even be in you!”
Galatians 5:17 NLT “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
Let’s first remember we are called, even before we’re women. We are called by God before our roles, responsibilities, tough days and busy lives. What a privilege! To continue to know Jesus and become more like Him, to make Him known and we don’t do this alone, as we do it with the Holy Spirit.
Hair isn’t everything.
Our roles and responsibilities aren’t everything.
Our careers aren’t everything.
But living out our calling……. That is EVERYTHING!